Binghamton Agrees To Four Year Player Development Contract With Mets

The Binghamton Mets, have been affiliated with the Mets since they were incepted in 1992, and New York Mets have announced a four-year extension of their player development contract, securing the B-Mets as the Mets’ Double-A affiliate through the 2016 season.

Original Post 7/12

An article that appeared in Thursday’s Press & Sun-Bulletin reported that a new deal between the Binghamton Mets and their parent club the New York Mets is near. In the article, written by B-Mets beat writer Lynn Worthy, B-Mets president Mike Urda stated

“It’s going to happen,” said Urda, also a member of the ownership group, when asked if the club had reached an agree­ment with the Mets on another player development contract.

Urda was in New York and met with New York Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson on June 22nd. One caveat the two discussed was the length of the PDC, which is traditionally two years.

The two discussed continuing the relationship between Bing­hamton and New York, and Urda said the idea of extending the player development con­tract for four years instead of two years was brought up.

A contract of longer than four years is usually rare between minor league teams and their major league counterparts, but such an agreement between Flushing and Binghamton would show the Major League Mets are happy with their Double A club right where it is. Many teams that have already signed new contracts this season have a 2014 expiration date.

At present, an actual agreement has not been reached but Urda remains optimistic after his meeting with Alderson.

Urda did not say any agreement was reached, instead saying that he and Alderson agreed they would not “rush into” any announcements simply because of interest from the press or fans.

“We have a good feel­ing about things,” Urda said. “We trust each oth­er. We’re not going to jump into anything.”

The Binghamton Mets, who have been affiliated with New York since 1992, were dogged repeatedly this past off season by rumors of the team moving, rumors that never came to fruition as the destination for the franchise – Ottawa, Ontario – has all but fizzled.